ENGLAND TRIP: Day 4: Part 13: Tower of London: Traitor's Gate/ Ravens

The final entry on our fourth day in London is about the Traitor's Gate in the Tower of London.

THIS HISTORY: 
 According to http://www.castles.me.uk/traitors-gate.htm, the Traitor's Gate is a water-gate under St Thomas's Tower that goes into the Thames River. For over 400 years, it was known as 'Traitors' Gate' because of the number of prisoners who passed through the gate were accused of treason. 
   The barge that would take prisoners into the Tower of London through the gate ferried them past London Bridge where the heads of recently executed traitors were displayed on the roof of the stone gate house. The heads were placed on spikes, attached to poles and displayed on the Bridge. 

 FAMOUS PEOPLE PASSING THROUGH THE GATE:

Looking at the Traitor's Gate and Thames River beyond.

   Even one of Henry VIII's former wives, Catherine Howard (also sentenced to death) had to pass the gruesome sight of the head of her lover Thomas Culpepper on her journey to the Tower of London and Traitors Gate. This grisly practice continued until around 1678. In addition to Catherine Howard, Anne Boleyn went through the Traitor's gate. She was 29 when she was charged with treason, adultery and incest. On May 2, 1529 she was brought into the Tower. Both Sir Henry Norris and the Queen's brother, George Boleyn, were also arrested and taken by barge and through the Traitors Gate entrance.

OUR EXPERIENCES:  Tom felt a "gentle swaying" on a spot that seemed to have energy off to the side of the gate. When I (Rob) walked over there, despite the cold and the rain, I felt a warmth in that same spot. There was definitely energy there, and it felt like residual emotional energy (from the trauma of the people who passed through there that were sentenced to death). We later went through other towers that were also filled with uncomfortable energy.  **For anyone who doesn't understand, think about walking into a room full of people at a party and feeling uncomfortable because you don't know anyone, or you think people may mistreat you- it was that kind of feeling. The bottom line is that I do NOT want to return to the Tower of London. It was filled with BAD energy and made me very uncomfortable. However, I did find it historically interesting. 

WHY ARE RAVENS KEPT AT THE TOWER OF LONDON? We learned that 7 ravens are kept at the Tower of London because of a superstition.  The presence of the ravens is traditionally believed to protect the Crown and the Tower; a superstition holds that "If the Tower of London ravens are lost or fly away, the Crown will fall and Britain with it.   HERE"S OUR VIDEO OF THE RAVEN NAMED MERLIN ->